Newark Mayor Ras Baraka in an announcement Wednesday stopped short of saying police would arrest residents who violate the city’s “shelter-in-place” order. But, he urged residents across the city, not just in three of Newark’s hotspots, to stay at home unless it was for an essential purpose.

“We have to take this situation very, very seriously,” Baraka said. “The majority of our residents understand this and are following the rules. But some are not and continue to congregate on the streets and not maintain proper social distance. Those people are putting their own health at risk, as well everyone they come into contact with. It’s dangerous and it has to stop.”

The city’s so-called “shelter-in-place” mandate does not differ much from Gov. Phil Murphy’s executive order, which only allows New Jersey residents to leave their homes for activities such as exercises, obtaining food, or seeking medical attention. Only residents who work in essential industries, like health care, should leave their homes.

These social distancing techniques are necessary to flatten the curve of coronavirus cases and reduce the strain on hospitals caring for patients, officials have said.

Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose urged residents to call the police if they see groups of people violating the mandate.

“We will begin with verbal warnings,” Ambrose said. “We want to save lives, not make arrests.”

There have been instances of police in other municipalities issuing summonses to people who gather in groups. Lakewood Police issued a disorderly persons summons to a homeowner who was holding a wedding, the state Attorney General’s Office said.

Newark has 123 cases of the new coronavirus that causes COVID-19 and two city residents have died after being diagnosed with the virus, the city has said.

There were 381 coronavirus cases throughout Essex County and 4,402 in New Jersey, according to the state health department. Essex County has the second-highest rate of coronavirus infections in the state, with only Bergen County having more.